Update on Southport killings as Merseyside Police give new insight into investigation

A major update has been released from Merseyside Police on the ongoing investigation into last year's Southport killings.

Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison after murdering seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, six-year-old Bebe King and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party in Southport last year. Rudakubana also attempted to murder 10 others during a knife attack at the Hart Space on July 29 2024.

After being sentenced in January 2025, Merseyside Police confirmed there remained a live investigation into others who may have assisted or failed to stop his hideous crimes. The ECHO reports that the force say that any others who were being investigated will not face any charges at this time.

In a statement to the ECHO following their inquiries, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “During the course of the criminal investigation into the Southport murders, a number of lines of enquiry were pursued. Some of the aspects of the investigation allowed for consideration of charges against those who may have assisted Axel Rudakubana or failed to prevent his crimes.

“Post-trial, the force conducted a comprehensive review of all of the material available and considered it in the light of the case law and statutory offences that may have been applicable. As a result, it has been determined that no further charges will be brought at this stage.”

Rudakubana was reported to Prevent three times in the years leading up to the attack in summer last year. This is a task force spearheaded by Counter Terror Policing.

The first came in 2019 when Rudakubana was enrolled at The Acorns School in Ormskirk after his exclusion from Range High School in Formby. He was then permanently removed from the school after he told Childline he was taking a knife into school for what he claimed was his own protection.

Later, he admitted to taking a knife on to school premises on 10 separate occasions. During his time at the special educational needs (SEN) school in West Lancashire, he was found to have displayed violent behaviour and openly discussed guns.

The second referral came when it was reported he had been posting on Instagram relating to Libya and Colonel Gaddafi. The third was a result of Rudakubana researching the 2017 London Bridge terror attack.

As a result, 14 recommendations were made to Prevent at the beginning of last month in a 55-page report. A full independent inquiry will also take place this summer from the government, looking at the failures leading up to the Southport attack and what could have been done.

Sir Adrian Fulford has been appointed as the chair of the inquiry, following consultation with the victims and families of those killed or affected by the attacks. The first phase will investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it.

Included in this will be Rudakubana's history and interactions with various public bodies including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare, as well as decision-making and information-sharing by local services and agencies.

In the second phase, wider issues of children and young people being drawn into extreme violence will be examined. The chair intends to open the inquiry in the week commencing July 7, it is understood this is likely to be on July 8. This is planned to take place at Liverpool Town Hall, although is subject to change.

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